The Netherlands v Australia 1937
On Saturday 22nd May 1937 the Netherlands hosted the Australian team at Nijmegen in a match that would mark the first times these teams would meet in a cricket match. The following day the two teams played at Harlem.
A speech in Dutch was prepared for Australian captain Margaret Peden to deliver and she spent a few days practicing her pronunciation. “My team won’t understand, and I am not sure the Dutch will.”
“Hospitality was showered on the team, which has taken up cycling. Mrs. Margaret Peden, the captain of the side, arrived at Nijmegen on a bicycle.” – Pat Jarrett, Murdoch Press journalist covering the tour.
The Dutch batted first at Nijmegen and scored 20 runs. Peden declared the innings closed at 195/6 (Peggy Antonio 42, Winnie George 31, Kathleen Smith 30) and the Dutch were 43/7 when stumps were drawn.
On Sunday at Harlem Australia score 212/9 declared (Pat Holmes 44, Hazel Pritchard 42) versus “Holland” 36 (Marie Jegust 2-3) and 27 (Amy Hudson 2-4, Elsie Deane 3-3)
These matches were played before the Australians played against England, so one could say that the Netherlands was Australia’s first overseas tour.
